Recon Santa
by Simply Hopeless
Summary: Naruto goes to Japan on a recon mission to why people have stopped believing in Santa. Less than a week later he runs across Santa hater, the divorced Sasuke and his impressionable son Yusuke. He disguises himself as a all important big shot toymaker to get closer to the family and find out why people have stopped believing in Santa. NaruSasu. Yaoi


Hello, this is Simply Hopeless a.k.a Assassin's Kiss wishing you Happy Holidays. It didn't seem to put this up on Christmas or even Christmas Eve but the day after was fair game. I wanted to offer thanks to all my reviewers who have been putting a smile on my face this past 2012 year. I hope to see you and other reviewers again next year since I won't be able to get to my computer the rest of the year because I will be packing and moving the end of this month. But I wanted to dedicate this holiday gift fic to those 2012 Naruto reviewers who have left an impression on me this year. So in alphabetical order this gift fic is for: **1sunnygirl, Akaku, Akirakun17, Alara Phoenix, Anon, bbntach, BeautifulDenialToRemember, BlindSeer0, .exorcist, bob-stano, Dreamer-.-LYNX, Dusty, ****Falsedfaith69,** gothpandaotaku, glow-in-the-dark, InkBloter5, Kai, KC, Kei-chan, Kiyomi-Chan7, kma3000, KyuuKitsunex3, LaDiE AkEginUo.0.o, Lapple, Mecheela, MichikoMichiyo29, mika17, Mija, moodsavage, Natsumi Tsuchi-Ookami, operagirl76, Piggy7869, random2crazyness, roboguy45, Sachiel Angelo, , shisui-loves-weasels, SilverSauce, SinuousFun-Keeper of Innocence, Starry Night, Sungoddess 64, Suomalaienen-sisu, xiana, xytera, Yixya. I truly hope you guys enjoy this fic and look forward to your responses because your review is my crack. XP

**Recon Santa**

Little elves, wearing red overalls, green turtlenecks, and safety goggles on top of their heads, bustled about a huge factory-like workshop filled to the brim with activity. Round, concaved, chocolate-colored walls depicted golden colored forests in every season with crème colored forest creatures frolicking among the golden foliage; the domed, chocolate ceilings held artful gold swirls that mimicked the constellations of the eastern and western sky.

Freshly cut spruces and firs were decorated with Christmas decorations and twinkling lights all around the spacious room with stars, angels and specially crafted bows shining proudly at the top. Long, blueberry bright benches with hand-painted, white snowflakes on them were evenly spaced out with elves; they hammered and inserted pieces on wooden trains, skateboards, doll houses and more before passing it down the assembly line.

"_Have a holly jolly Christmas_…" The song had quickly followed on the heels of 'Feliz Navidad' as the in-house speakers played every Christmas-themed tune from different singers all over the world. The upbeat tempo helped to keep up employee morale among the happy chatter of the working elves.

Pointy eared elves, who stood no higher than a grown man's waist, toddled huge, cuddly teddy bears that dwarfed their forms so completely that a fellow elf had to shout instructions to walk. A parade of windup toys followed an elf blowing a sliding whistle. Another elf walked close behind the parade to wind up any stragglers, including a toy dog that kept flipping every few steps.

There were elves at the wrapping station with row upon row of different kinds of pretty wrapping paper with snowflakes and frolicking little Santas ready to be pulled down and used from off of the shelves. The wrapping elves took care to create the perfect bows on top of their perfectly wrapped gifts. The sound of rustling paper and the smooth _click, click _of scissors filling the air.

There were elves on roller skates rolling to tired elves all over the workshop. They expertly held mugs of warm cocoa and milk, or cookies and crust-less sandwiches on their tray to offer to the hard little workers. If they spotted anyone who was lagging too much due to fatigue, they'd kindly tap on their shoulders and guide them to the sleeping station filled with futons, pillows, blankets and complimentary earplugs.

Every nook and every cranny was filled with life and Christmas cheer that would make just about anyone want to smile, except for one.

"It's boring here," sighed out a frustrated blonde in his mid-twenties.

He sagged with his words; his whiskered cheek resting against the cool tabletop of his mahogany work desk with the carving of inwardly turned reindeers holding up his desk with formidable antlers. He was station in the middle of all this festive chaos. His fingertips slightly stained gold from the stamped he used after expecting each toy before marking it with '**SCW**' stamp of approval.

His short mop of blonde spiky curls barely obscured the wee little faces that had automatically paused in their work to come check on their supervisor. He could sense them crowding him and his personal space. The warmth from their body and breath made him feel almost claustrophobic even when he squeezed his eyes close. He pressed his big hands against his ears but that didn't stop the murmuring of concerns and sudden cry to 'get Mrs. C.'

A few minutes later everything, except for the speakers purring out Eartha Kitt's 'Santa Baby' became silent as the mysterious Mrs. C came closer. "Naruto, sweetie is something wrong? Would you like some hot cocoa or maybe some chicken noodle soup?" Came a motherly voice accompanied by the warm pressure of loving arms draping across his shoulders.

The blonde only let out a groan in response before he slowly peeled one azure eye open to look into the concerned, heart-shaped face of his mother, Kushina Clause. Her forest green eyes offered a startling contrast to her siren red hair, which was pulled back into two neat little braided pigtails tied at the ends with candy cane striped ribbons. His mother immediately followed her question with pressing her hand under his bangs before resting her hand over her bang free forehead, thanks to the plain white hair clip that pinned it all to one side.

She clicked her tongue softly against the roof of her mouth; her brow furrowed in concern because she didn't feel anything abnormal in her son's temperature. But it was also clear that something must be up because why else would her Naruto look so discontented

"Son, what could possibly put such a look on your face? If it's not drink or food you require, then maybe a nap. I am sure we can pull out the futon for you," the redhead offered in concern. . He had the same handsome features as her dear husband, except for three whisker marks on each side of his cheeks; Mrs. Clause would do practically anything to not see that look on any of her precious people's faces.

"I'm bored," Naruto practically grunted out as he sat up from his slouch. He straightened his stance on the chair as his mother began to fuss with his vanilla tie before smoothing out the wrinkles on his cranberry red dress shirt.

"For Holly's sake Naruto, this is our busiest time of the year. In less than a week your father is going to go and deliver presents to the children of the world. He's only one man and the population has grown exponentially since the early 1800s. There is no time to be bored, now is there?" Kushina lightly scolded her son as she came to place her hands on the hips of her of peppermint striped overalls.

"Well for one we are the only 'tall people' above four feet in one hundred miles of here. Another thing is that I've been supervising the elves and checking the quality of the gifts for sixteen years of my twenty-six years here and it's gotten a little monotonous. Why can't I mingle with the humans and see how they tick?" he asked, turning pleading blue eyes to his mother.

"Well sweetie… I don't know…" she trailed off hesitantly as she patted his wooly blonde head.

"We mustn't Mrs. C; it's just too dangerous. The first rule of the North Pole is always remain jolly and the second is never reveal our secret to non-believers. And lately there are too many non-believers. How can we honestly be sure that Naruto-kun can keep such a big secret like being Santa's Clause's son? It's one thing since we are up in the North Pole but once he's out there…" a severe, glasses wearing elf with raven hair tied back by a festive bandana.

"I'm worried about him too Mrs. C. If he wants to take up his father's mantle there is so much more I should be teaching him," came the worried voice of a brunette elf with a scar across his nose.

"Not you too Iruka-sensei! I expect this of Ebisu but not of you. I thought you, at least, would be on my side." Naruto murmured this, feeling more than a little betrayed as he scraped back his chair and stood.

"I… I only say this because I want to be on your side Naruto-kun. It's a dangerous world out their full of scrooges and violence. Christmas cheer has been on a steady decline for quite a while now and how do you think all of us would feel if harm came to you?" Iruka tried to rationalize as he wrung his hands anxiously together.

"Quite right, there aren't that many believers of Santa to begin with. They seem to fall off the Santa bandwagon left and right. And many civilians around the world are reported to stay at home more during this time for fear of being robbed or injured by those desperate souls around the holidays," insisted the Ebisu elf.

"Let me do a recon mission. I'll see what makes humans tick and try to get them believing in dad again. Or at least get them to have more of the Christmas spirit. The more believers we have the more people we can make happy with our gifts, right?" offered Naruto pleadingly. He heard reports about how bad the outside world was but what was the point of giving gifts out to anyone if everything was so bad? No, he had to go out for himself and see how the world really worked. If he was ever to become Santa he needed to know now versus later.

"As much as I would prefer my son to be here, he seemed to have made up his mind. I will allow this for a short time as long as you promise not to reveal our secrets," Minato, suddenly spoke up, surprising his son, wife and two chief elves with his appearance. Of course the boss of the entire operation would be alerted to half his facility crumbling to a hault with the discontentment of his son and the sudden disappearance of his wife.

He smiled warmly as all eyes turned to face him and hear his verdict before he narrowed his eyes and adopted a serious tone. "Only on the condition that Iruka-san goes with you and you remain under care of Tsunade in our Southern branch in Japan," the blonde man instructed with a wag of his finger. He tried to look as stern as his merry face could allow but without his impressive white beard and his Santa Clause getup, it was ineffective on a face so much like his son's.

"You mean the toy company **Southern Sennin Corporation Workshop**, or as we know it **Southern Santa Clause Workshop** (SSCW), that is rumored to outrival any toy company in the world?" Iruka asked in impressed, surprise.

"It would not due not to have people in place to observe trends and finds ways to cater to them, otherwise we'd still be making toy blocks, dollies and wooden trains. But it will not hurt to have the president's son visit the Japanese Branch for a short stay to familiarize himself with the humans, right son?" offered Minato with a mischievous smile.

"Believe it!" Naruto said. Then practically lifted his father off his feet as he gave him a back breaking hug that left Santa slightly teary eyed and red in the face.

A FEW DAYS LATER, IN THE HUMAN WORLD, JAPAN REGION

It was a huge, airy, crème colored mall with posters plastered in front of practically every store window in the mall proclaiming last minute sales on items for loved ones. Shop keepers' were silently beckoning potential costumers passing their shops with their winning smiles and the rearrangements of their top selling items to appear more appealing. While others offered free samplings of perfumes and cubed cheeses from colorfully dressed employees dressed as elves.

A tall, raven-haired man, wearing a unbuttoned trench coat and business suit with a checkered gray scarf wrapped around his neck, was closely flanked by a miniature of himself. The miniature didn't pay much attention to how his papa had cleared the way for him in the crowded mall with his serious, no-nonsense demeanor and his classical Japanese beauty. The miniature's eyes were instead focused on the Christmas decorations that decorated every nook and cranny of the place.

Tall, evenly spaced candy canes towered over the heads of last minute shoppers; their crooks dusted with fake, glittery, cotton snow while flashes of many cameras and camera phones went off at the family of snowmen, which were sitting inside the tinkling water fountain where coins were tossed.

The miniature stumbled, pausing too long to see the smiling frozen faces of Frosty and his wife holding their little snow baby. A small toddler had tried to trundle over to the display and climb the little wall that encircled the fountain water before their mother squeaked and ran to them before their bundled child could get wet. The desire to throw a coin into the fountain, deteriorated as his father walked pass the display with a snort of derision, his leather gloved hand firmly clasping his son's mitten one.

The seven-year-old child inwardly sighed and tried to keep up the pace to match his father's confident, long strides. His wide, doe gray eyes tried to keep their gaze forward but again he could find his eyes wandering. They followed the cascade of a mountain of color foiled presents with a waving mechanical penguin in a Santa cap at the very tippy top next to a Macy's display of faceless mannequins in winter wear. But as soon as the connection between his and his father's hands grew taut, he quickly stumbled forward again and tried all over again to focus his attention forward.

It was far from the miniature's first time seeing Christmas things but it was his first time in a mall. His mama Sakura took him to quaint little boutiques and shoe stores where he was made to sit down and hold her purse while she tried on things. He usually ended up sleeping on the little, cushioned bench, curled around the Prada bag as his mother tried on outfit after outfit, completely forgetting him. He'd wake from his impromptu naps to the pinkette prattling to the saleswoman or salesman about what new fashions from Paris will be displayed this summer before trying to grease some hands with the Uchiha name.

"Are you sure you can take me?" the little boy asked suddenly, shaking himself from thoughts of the past. He looked up at his father through a fan of long, sooty lashes. He tried to make his doe gray eyes appear as wide and innocent as possible; his bottom lip poked out just so to make the handsome, business-like face of his father's soften slightly when he looked back at his son.

"Your grandfather Fugaku gave me an extended lunch break, Yusuke. Since you insisted on going with me instead of your mother and I have been postponing it over and over again because of work, I've decided to take you now on Christmas Eve to see the mall Santa. That is what you wanted, right?" the raven-haired man asked, pausing in his walking to arch an aristocratic brow at his seven-year-old son. Yusuke was the only good thing that came out of his temporary marriage with his wife Sakura and if it meant suffering through a bunch of whining children and last minute shoppers to make his son happy, then so be it.

"Of course I do Papa," Yusuke chirruped, his round face overtaken with a sudden smile so rarely seen on any Uchiha face. It made the older version return a faint one of his own to his miniature before he led the way once more, determined.

'Damn Shikamaru for even suggesting the idea of a mall Santa,' he thought, as he tried to scan ffor his work colleague among the chaos. He had promised to come with Shikamaru to avoid searching uselessly for a half hour. But the mall was a virtual labyrinth of people and items and he had unfortunately been delayed in leaving his work, leaving the quirky genius to come to the mall first.

He let out a frustrated sigh after twenty minutes more of searching. He had finally found his work colleague feeding bite-sized pieces of an Auntie Anne's soft pretzel to his tiny goddaughter, Usagi. She looked so much like her mother Kurenai, even curled up in her godfather's arms. They both were lying on the white painted mall bench, with the quirky genius staring up at colorful banners that obscured the sight of the fluffy clouds through the doomed ceiling windows.

He offered the frustrated Uchiha a one handed salute, without look away from the ceiling, the ends of his duster and sleeves brushing against the dirty floor as he then proceeded to hold up a bag."We got tired of waiting for you and decided to lay down. I got you a foot massager that was on sale in Bed, Bath and Beyond. You can regift it to Sakura if you want but this counts as your Christmas present, regardless," he said off-handedly, before focusing his gaze on the displeased Uchiha.

"Hn," Sasuke said. All his frustration dissipated quickly because there was no use to get mad at the Nara. He was better off yelling at a brick wall then the impenetrable Nara who somewhat served in the position as his best friend. "Are you ready to go? I still have tons to do before I meet the president's son of the **SSCW**. If everything goes well then the Uchiha Corp. could expand exponentially," Sasuke prattled on even as he nonchalantly peeked into his offered bag.

"You're so troublesome Uchiha. Lunch breaks are meant to help you escape the tedium of work and here you are dragging it here," sighed out Shikamaru in disbelief even as he slowly sat up. Carefully he stood up with his three-year-old goddaughter who quickly wrapped her arms around him like a small koala bear. A smile softened his lips briefly before he took up his other purchases and began to walk.

"I hear this mall Santa is very popular. This is the third time I'm taking Usagi to see him. I think she has a little crush," murmured Shikamaru off-handedly amid the Uchiha silence following behind him.

"Aren't mall Santa's fat, sweaty, overworked slobs, who smell of stale food and look like their cotton beards will fall away at any moment?" Sasuke asked despite his son's innocent ears picking up on the conversation.

"Well, from what I can see from the very realistic beard, he's a very handsome Santa. I've seen a few moms and a handful of dads sprucing themselves up as they get closer to the Santa. It's entertaining to see, to say the least when you see these mothers and sometimes childless individuals trying to sit on his lap and slip him their numbers," Shikamaru said with a smirk and a shake of his head. He secretly wanted to see how his non-believing colleague would react once they made it through the long line full of eager customers wanting to take pictures and talk to Santa.

"Hn," Sasuke said dismissively. He doubted he would be interested in anything a rented Santa had to offer. His aristocratic brow rose once at the long line before he waited patiently with the other parents with ideas of presentations and the best way of impressing the president's son, dancing in his head. He obviously had no idea what was waiting for him at the end of that line because if he did, he would have never left work that day

A/N: I hope you enjoy and tell me what you like about this story. Just saying you like it and want it updated honestly gives me no clue on what you like about it. So help a girl out and hopefully stroke her ego too. XP

I will be updating this and my other stories in January 2013, so see you then. Ciao!


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